Horrible harness experience

[superlambanana]

I've been trying a Halti with my Rottie as she tends to pull. She didn't like it at all but I've been introducing it slowly with treats and had a couple of successful walks with it.

Today however as soon as we got near grass she started rolling over trying to get it off. I tried to get it off her but she was getting more and more distressed and managed to get the muzzle bit over her head and round her neck.

Luckily she got up when someone came over to help and I could get it off but it really upset me and I'm scared of putting it in her again.

Any ideas?

[tabulahrasa]

It's not a halti I've got, it's a different make...but I'm struggling to see how the bit over my rottie's nose could possibly fit over his huge head - are you sure it fits her?

Other than that, I'd go back a step and have her wearing it in the house for increasing periods of time and not walk her on it until she's entirely comfortable with it.

[Floralnomad]

I assume you are talking about a headcollar not a halti harness? Try a canny collar ,we've tried all different types and the canny was definitely the best .

[superlambanana]

Sorry yes, I mean a head collar that is loose except when she pulls. It's a size 4 and she's smallish for a Rottie. It just really upset me I hated seeing her distressed!

[Floralnomad]

Try a canny collar , they're a different design to a normal headcollar and are easy to adjust so that you can let the dog off lead without having to remove it . Our dog was always trying to get the halti off with his paw but the canny didnt bother him at all ,don't use it often now as I walk him in a Doxlock harness but I use it in the winter when he wears his jumper .

[MelanieCheeks]

I think you're letting your emotions get the better of you here. It's not hurting her, she's just not used to it. Ignore her attempts to roll it off, you're the boss.

[superlambanana]

You're right Melanie but I couldn't stop her - she's strong and I literally couldn't get it off when she was lying on the floor. I'm quite strict with her but she's being a pain in the bum about this!!

[tabulahrasa]

My boy's not huge, just his head, lol...He's only small bitch sized.

I looked up the Halti fitting instructions just to see whether it was supposed to be that loose or not as my gentle leader one definitely isn't and it does say it can slip like that...I'd be tempted to try one that doesn't tighten tbh, then she just can't do that again and carry on working on getting her used to it.

They definitely don't hurt (when on normally, not both bits over their head, lol) it doesn't stop my boy bouncing about like tigger when he's excited any more than a collar does, which I'm sure he'd react to if it hurt, it just means he can't throw all his weight at it.